They’re baa-ack

That was the catchphrase from the “Poltergeist” movie series, but we want to warn you about something more dangerous than ghostly apparitions emanating from your TV.

Bogus emails are making the rounds again that claim to be from the FTC. The subject line says “Pending consumer complaint” or words to that effect, but they’re really from scammers looking to infect your computer with viruses, spyware, and other bad stuff if you click on the links or open any attachments.

Alert your staff to the scam. What’s more, build into your in-house security training a general warning to think twice before clicking on links or opening attachments. If you're active in a trade association or local business group, clue your colleagues and clients in, too.

Keep current on threats to businesses and consumers by signing up for FTC Scam Alerts. OK, we hear some of you asking “But how can we tell if it’s a real FTC email or something from a scammer?” And that’s our point. Email that you sign up for and expect to receive periodically is usually a safer bet. But if you have suspicions, skip the links and go straight to the source – in this case, the FTC’s homepage or our Scam Alert site.

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